One Angry Juror (2010) - full transcript

Jermaine wants a beer.

Thank you, honey bean.

Where's mine, girl?

Where's mine, my ass!

Get your own.

You wanna put some beer

on that peach fuzz
on top of your lip?

Give yourself a real mustache?

13 years old,

and working on his paunch.

Trying to keep his pants
from falling down.



Screw y'all.

Can't you just massage my foot?

My little toe hurts.

I can make more than just
that little toe feel good.

Girl!

What the...

Jermaine!

Jermaine?

Jermaine!

Jermaine!

I'm just saying,

it's doable, man.

Save money on rockets.

So, people gonna climb
these stairs to the moon?



Man, I ain't say "stairs."

They use compacted stuff.

Junk, like whatcha-call-it.

Landfill.

Chunks of it, you know?

Build one on top of the other.

Man, you gonna be famous.

A giant garbage tower
to the moon?

Charge admission.

Y'all, y'all,
pay Walter, pay Walter.

Go to the moon.

Wave down at your friends.

Go yank yourself.

You Walter byrd?

Who wanna know?

Walter byrd, you're under arrest

for the murder
of Jermaine Anderson.

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say can and will
be used against you

in a court of law.

Hold still.

You have the right
to an attorney.

If you can't afford an attorney,

one will be appointed to you.

Do you understand your rights

as they're being read to you?

What the hell?

Allen, this is not
a negotiation.

He brings up
the facts of the case,

you say, "you have no case."

Definitive remarks.
Statements of fact.

"You have no case."

But it is a negotiation.

You absolutely can do this.

You just have to stay cool

and say, "this is what
the firm is willing to pay."

Not, "our offer is..."

We're not negotiating.

We're telling them what's what.

Where are you?

I'm at county courthouse.

I thought I heard
a toilet flush.

God. Just
hold down the fort.

I'll be back in an hour.

Sarah Walsh,
please report to the jury room.

What if you get picked?

No, they're never
going to pick a lawyer.

You know what's wrong with
the American justice system?

What?

It depends on 12 people

too stupid
to get out of jury duty.

Sarah Walsh, please report
to the jury room...

Okay, who's next?

Name and occupation, please?

Sarah Walsh.

I'm an attorney.

A fellow practitioner.

Well, welcome to our little
midst here, miss Walsh.

I'm inclined to let you go,

but can I first ask

what area of the law
are you currently engaged in?

I am a corporate litigator.

My firm represents a number
of fast-food companies,

protecting them
from frivolous lawsuits

by the bewildered and ignorant,

people like your client.

My friends call me

the ardent defender
of the French fry.

I didn't know
the French fry needed help.

Let me make this easy for you.

I believe
the conventional wisdom

that you don't want
a lawyer on the jury,

particularly me.

I will be your worst nightmare.

I will have undue influence.

I know every nook and cranny
of the law,

so whatever crap
you throw out in the courtroom,

I will quickly undo
in the jury room,

and I'm very, very cynical

about the legal system.

God bless junk food.

Also, I look askew
on anything that smacks of

you know, "the police
were out to get me,"

which I'm guessing is
the cornerstone of your case,

given the comfort

and familiarity
in this environment

that your client
is currently displaying

by doodling little boxes

while his fate is being decided.

Well, you are observant.

Do you consider yourself

a fair person?

I believe that trials
should be adjudicated

solely on the facts presented,

if that's what you mean.

The public defender's office
has no problem with this juror.

Prosecution?

No, I'm good with her.

Your honor...

Report to the jury room
tomorrow morning at 8:00 A.M.

Hey...

Hi.

What happened?

Get off the couch.

Um...

They should get rid of jail time

and just sentence criminals
jury duty instead.

Six years for robbery
and 25 for murder.

Just bore them
into good citizenship.

You're kidding me.

They picked a lawyer
for jury duty?

I'm sorry.

Afraid your bony butt
gonna fall asleep?

Ha ha.

We arrived at the scene

and found the victim,
Jermaine Anderson,

lying on the floor

with a single gunshot
to the forehead.

An execution.

- Objection.
- Withdrawn.

Ease, go on, officer.

There were 15 people
present, sir,

but only the victim's sister,

rakesha Anderson,

got a real good look
at the shooter,

and she described him as
an African-American male,

in his early 20s.

Height, around six feet,

wearing air Jordans
and a black hoodie.

The jury should note

that the defendant was arrested

wearing the air Jordans,

and the black hoodie
was found at his house.

Did the witness describe

any other identifying marks?

Yes, sir.

She said he had
a mouth full of bling.

"Mouth full of bling."

That's gold teeth,

and does the defendant have
a mouth full of bling?

He does.

One of his front teeth is gold.

Very distinctive.

Go on, please, officer.

We investigated
for about three weeks.

Ultimately, we
canvassed the neighborhood,

and were told to go
to 655 parkdale Avenue.

655 parkdale Avenue

is in fact the residence
of the defendant, Walter byrd.

I just have one more question

about this... bling.

At what point
did the witness notice

that the shooter had gold teeth?

Right after the shooting, sir.

Right after the shooting...

And what was the shooter doing
to display these teeth?

He was smiling.

He was smiling.

All yours.

Did you find any fingerprints,

any hair from Mr. Byrd's head,

any fibers from his clothes
at the crime scene?

Anything at all

that would link my client
to the murder?

No, sir.

Have you found the gun
that killed Mr. Anderson?

No, sir.

So it's one of
those cases, is it?

I don't know what you mean.

Cases that don't have
any forensic evidence,

cases that depend on guesswork.

Are you good
at guessing, officer?

How many jellybeans
are in the jellybean jar,

that sort of thing...

Objection.

The officer was not guessing

at what clothes
the assailant was wearing...

My bad.

Sorry, I was just...
Thinking out loud, so to speak,

trying to undizzy myself

from the mere facts of the case.

Kind of like half-rhymes.

They sound like rhymes,
but they ain't rhymes.

A man happens to wear
the same shoes as a suspect,

and we might as well

break out the pitchforks.

Shall we ask the witness
to step down

so you can make a speech?

I'm sorry, your honor.

Officer runyon,

how long have you been
a major crimes detective?

Seven years.

Seven...

And in those seven years,

have you ever
come across the name

or the person Walter byrd?

No, sir.

Ever arrest him?

No, sir.

Never seen him in the company
of known drug offenders?

No, sir.

Does the defendant have
a criminal record

of any kind?

No, sir,

the defendant has eluded
the criminal justice system,

until now.

I'm sorry?

I thought the defendant was
innocent until proven guilty,

not the other way around.

According to the actual facts
of this case,

the defendant, Walter byrd,

had no criminal record
whatsoever

until the day of the murder,

at which point

he walked into the home
of a known drug dealer

and shot him between the eyes.

Is that unusual?

Nothing's unusual
in my line of work.

Have you ever before
in your career

arrested a man

in a drug execution

with no prior criminal record?

I don't recall, sir.

Just what is your definition
of unusual, officer?

Can you state and spell
your name for US, please?

Rakesha Anderson.

R-a-k-e-s-h-a a-n-d-e-r-s-o-n.

Miss Anderson, how old are you?

What school do you go to?

I'm 15.

I'm in the 10th grade

at Evelyn mcmair
secondary school.

Nice.

I need you

to think back for a moment,

and I need you to tell US
everything you saw

on the afternoon of the murder

well, I was just
hanging out at home

with Kevin brown

and my brothers
Karson and Jermaine,

and...

This guy comes in
with his homie,

and one shoots Jermaine dead.

I know that this
is difficult for you,

but I need you to tell US
everything you remember

about the men
who murdered your brother.

I only remember the one
who killed Jermaine.

He had on a black hoodie.

Do you remember anything else
about that particular gunman?

He had on black and white
air Jordans,

mouth full of golds.

You know Mr. Byrd, don't you?

Yeah.

He gotten into some bull
with Jermaine

a couple of years ago.

Tried to cheat him in dice,

and Jermaine set him straight.

Do you see the man
who shot your brother

sitting in the courtroom
here today?

Yeah...

Can you point to him, please?

Him.

He shot my brother,

like he was a dog
he was putting down.

Please note

that the witness pointed
to the defendant.

Thank you.

All yours.

Rakesha, you know the difference

between what's true
and what's pretend, right?

Yeah, you real
and Batman pretend.

You ain't Batman, are you?

I'm sorry,

does this trial amuse you?

No, you amuse me,

sitting here defending him
and acting like you all noble.

On the day of the murder,

you didn't tell police

who killed your brother,
did you?

I was freaking, man.

Jermaine was dead!

The killer dude looked
like he was from the 'hood,

but I don't know who.

His face came back to me

when I saw him in the lineup

a couple weeks later.

It was like god tapped me
on the shoulder.

Does god wear a badge, rakesha?

The police
ain't tell me nothing!

I see him!

And when was the last time
you saw Walter?

I don't know.

Was it possible

that maybe he had come by
earlier that day,

let's just say
to buy some drugs from Jermaine?

Is it possible that
that's when you saw him

in a dark sweatshirt
and white basketball shoes?

I don't know.

But it's possible?

It's possible
he Robin and you Batman?

I would like to remind
the witness

that a man's life
is at stake here.

My brother's life
has already been taken.

This ain't no pretend.

No further questions.

You may step down.

What you staring at?

Why's he staring at me
like that?

The defendant is warned

to refrain from
threatening eye contact

with any of the witnesses.

Can you believe
that god just reached down

and touched that little girl
on the shoulder?

Th's how he works,

in mysterious ways.

You know, you could be
driving down the road,

working at a cash register,

or making dinner,

picking up the toys,

and then he just pops in.

Boom, there he is!

Amazing!

You know, we're not supposed
to talk about the case.

We weren't talking
about the case.

We were talking about the lord.

I'll see you in there.

Kevin brown,

could you describe
what the shooter looked like?

Guy who shot Jermaine
was real skinny,

and short like me,
but a grown-up.

And how big are you?

I'm 5'4", and I weigh 105.

So you were with Walter
the whole afternoon

on the day that
Jermaine was killed,

from about 2:30 on?

The whole time.

We were just playing poker

at my cousin Michael's apartment

on magazine street.

And how long were you
at the house

after the murder?

Stuck around
for about two hours.

And the police never
bothered to interview you?

No, sir.

Thank you.

Do you think someone
can kill someone

and not look like a killer?

I mean, we expect
the stain of Cain,

but what if some people
can kill and then...

Forget about it.

Go home, eat some Froot Loops,
smoke a fattie, watch leno.

Have some fava beans
with a nice chianti?

Yeah, something like that.

Is this about your trial?

I can't talk about my trial.

This is just
an abstract question.

Anyway, didn't
we learn in law school

that a guilty conscience
is kind of irrelevant

when it comes to criminal law?

You know, just the facts, ma'am,

just the facts.

Facts are a little harder
to evaluate

when they go along
with real people.

Ain't that the truth.

The defense would like to call
Walter byrd to the stand.

It's okay.

Sorry...

Don't worry about it.

On the day of the murder,

you went by the victim's house,
didn't you?

You're going to have to
speak up, my friend.

Yeah.

And, why did you
go by the house?

My friend and I wanted to buy
some weed from Jermaine.

Two nicks...

I mean,

two $5 bags.

Was it good marijuana?

Objection.

Goes toward motive, your honor.

It's irrelevant.
Move on.

So you had no reason

to be angry
at Jermaine that day.

Objection!

Putting words
in the witness's mouth.

Sustained.

Your honor?

Move on, counselor.

Prior to Jermaine's murder,

how frequently
did you go by his house

to buy marijuana?

Once in a while.

A couple times a month.

Do you know rakesha?

Yeah, she's lived
around the corner from me

for a lot of years.

I see her at the house.

She's younger than me,
but I say hi and stuff.

So when the police
first interviewed you,

you denied seeing the victim
that day, am I right?

Yes, sir.

Why is that?

'Cause buying weed
is against the law.

So you were afraid.

Objection!

Telling the witness what to say.

Sustained.

Were you afraid of the police?

Yes, sir.

Did you kill Jermaine?

No, sir.

In fact, you've never
been arrested

for any sort of crime
whatsoever,

am I right?

Yes.

Statistically,

one in four men
in your age group

and your financial demographic

is arrested
and convicted of a crime

by the age of 22.

So if,
as the prosecution contends,

you are
this professional criminal,

an assassin,

well, then, you must be
the most cunni

and elusive assassin

in the history of mankind.

Objection, your honor.

These aren't questions,

nor is there any evidence

that the facts declaimed
by Mr. Burston are true.

Sustained.

Please stop pontificating,
Mr. Burston.

You have a summation for that.

Sorry, your honor.

Where did you go

after you left
the victim's house?

We went by Michael's house
to play cards.

So by 3:00 P.M.,

on the afternoon
of the assassination

you were at the home
of Michael Johnson?

Yes, sir.

We was there by the start
of the basketball game.

No further questions.

Do you know that marijuana
is an illegal substance?

Yeah, that's why I didn't want

to tell the police about it.

Do you know

that lying to the police
in an investigation

is a felony?

Your lawyer can't answer
for you, son.

Answer the question, please.

I guess so.

Now I do.

Are you saying

that you don't even
have the moral sense

to know that lying is wrong?

You seem to engage
in illegal activities

rather casually,
Mr. Byrd...

Objection, your honor.

Sustained.

Since you're so casual
with the truth

when it suits you,

how are we to know

that you are telling the truth
right now?

Are you?

Or are you just trying to
pull a fast one on the court?

I am telling the truth, sir.

So you say.

If in fact

you can remember
what the truth is

with all the pot you smoke.

Mr. Byrd, do you own
a black hoodie?

Yes, sir.

Do you own black and white
air Jordans?

I do, sir.

I would like to enter
into evidence exhibit 26,

black and white air Jordans.

Exhibit 27,

black hoodie.

I have nothing further.

Redirect, your honor.

Are black and white air Jordans
a popular shoe?

Objection, your honor.

Mr. Byrd is not an expert
in shoe popularity.

Do you know anyone

that has black and white
air Jordans?

Yeah, lots of people have them.

Lots of people...

Defense rests.

I know you.

You're at hannon Fitzgerald.

My firm, Galloway and johanson...

We had the filgo case
against you.

Yeah, I remember that.

We slaughtered you.

We settled, actually,

but, hey, it wasn't my money.

Can you believe
that they picked two lawyers

for the same jury?

Yeah, well, I guess they decided

they needed someone with brains.

Well, I think it's
pretty cut and dry.

The defendant was identified
at the scene as the shooter.

By his own admission,

he was at the victim's house

on the day of the murder.

He claims to have been
at a poker game

at the exact hour of the murder,

but only one member
of that alleged game

came forward,

and he was not very convincing.

I put two and two together

and, personally, I get four.

All those who vote guilty,
raise your hands.

11 to convict.

I think we're all
eager to get home.

Sarah?

Set US free, baby.

Not guilty.

Come on, man...

Kevin brown said the shooter
wore a black hoodie, a mask,

and gold in his teeth.

Well, byrd's got
that gold tooth.

Yeah, but his mouth
is hardly tricked out.

Tricked out?

Yeah, there's a difference
between one gold tooth

and many gold teeth,

between a cavity
and a mouth full of bling.

Frankly, I don't know the kid,

but I know what
most teenage boys are like.

Punks.

That girl,
what's her name, rakesha?

She picked Walter
out of a lineup.

No, no,

rakesha failed
to I.D. Walter...

A boy she clearly knew
from her neighborhood...

Until the police guided her
to the photograph.

She all but said that the cops
told her who did it.

I didn't hear her say that.

I did hear her say
that god told her he did it.

Well, god is not a witness
in this case.

You sound like you're prejudiced

against christians.

I am not prejudiced
against christians.

I am fine

with the father, the son,
and the holy ghost.

I just don't think that rakesha

is some sort of Joan of arc

who had a vision
of her dead brother

fingering Walter as his killer.

Why,

in a house full of people

did no one else see any evil,

hear any evil,

and certainly won't
identify any evil?

15 people were home.

Only rakesha
happened to see Walter?

That's...

That's just not believable.

Well, I'm sure you live
in a nice neighborhood,

where people don't
get shot every day.

All right, so...

Walter supposedly
was smoking some weed,

playing cards with his friends,

but only his waste-case
of a cousin

shows up as an alibi witness.

Where's the rest of the posse?

Why aren't they
down here testifying?

I'll tell you why.

Because they don't exist.

It's not Walter byrd's job
to prove his innocence.

It's the government's job
to prove his guilt.

That's law school 101.

Come on, give me a break.

You know perfectly well that
90% of these people are guilty,

they're just too stupid
to take a plea.

You are supposed to be a lawyer,

not the leader of a lynch mob.

That's uncalled for.

That's my point!

I mean, we're not debating

the guilt or innocence

of Walter byrd,
champion pot smoker.

We are just trying to ascertain

if the government
has proved its case

beyond a reasonable doubt,

which it hasn't.

There is no gun.

There is no physical evidence.

There is no motive.

I mean, all they have left

is some skanky conflicting
eyewitness testimony.

Skanky?

What, you sure's
it's not skivvy,

or gross, or hoochifying or...

Um, I have something to say.

I'm changing my vote.

What?

To "not guilty".

What?

So who do you think

committed the murder, Sandra?

Someone you wouldn't expect.

Like his girlfriend.

It's never the guy
you think it is.

So you're saying
we should acquit him

because the facts point
to him being guilty?

Not guilty.

I have my reasonable doubts.

I'm also switching my vote

to not guilty.

Aw, come on.

- Seriously?
- Seriously.

Aw, hell...

Judge, we're deadlocked.

I'm going to poll the jury.

All who vote guilty,
raise your hands.

Not guilty?

Someone can't
make up their mind?

Reluctantly,

I'll declare this a hung jury

and conclude this trial.

Court is dismissed.

I'm mahalia robeson,

Walter byrd's grandmother.

I'm just trying to find out
a little bit

how the case played
in the jury room.

Don't ask me.

I voted guilty.

That's who you want.

Rallied to your side
like a damn junkyard dog.

Thank you.

Don't thank me.

I just know
how to follow the law.

Come on.

Hey, sweetie.

Did you miss me?

Okay, get off the bed...

Hey.

Hey.

It's late.

Just get home?

Yes.

It was endless.

I was pounding my fist
against a wall of stupidity.

Did you win?

Hung jury, because of me.

I held out for not guilty.

You stood up
for an innocent guy.

I don't know that for sure.

I just know that the prosecution
didn't prove its case.

Yeah.

Come here.

Still...

That boy.

Who?

Walter.

The defendant.

He had these... sleepy boy eyes,

like he should still be
in his pajamas.

Like he didn't expect
anything good in life

to ever to happen to him,
you know?

It's sad.

I'd like to propose a toast,

to a very lucrative victory
over Jones and painter,

one of the biggest law firms
in Chicago.

Well done.

Cheers.

Juror number four.

Hi.

I saw you quoted in the paper.

Apparently you prevented
a miscarriage of justice.

Sounds like
you deserve a reward.

I think a drink will do.

I'm glad you stopped by.

I want you on
the anytime burger case,

as first chair.

Ooh, I like this.

You take a week off of work
and get a promotion.

You've earned it,

and this could be
a history-making case.

Plenty of opportunity
for legal precedent.

It's a massive class-action
sexual discrimination lawsuit.

A bunch of women

charging hostile
work environment.

Promotions based on
sexual favors.

I'm sure there will be a lot
of "he said, she said,"

and a very vigorous debate
over the facts.

That doesn't sound like
the kind of case we usually do.

A refill, ray?

No, I'm fine, thank you.

Sarah?

No, thanks.

Well, if you're not comfortable,

I could offer it to Louise...

Please.

I'm ready for battle.

Anytime burger,
like all of our clients,

deserves the best counsel that...

money can buy, yeah.

Yeah.

Cheers.

Cheers.

I doubt that all those women

suddenly developed
group psychosis

and decided to sue
anytime burger.

We haven't even
done discovery yet,

and besides,
who knows what happened

in the hallowed stalls
of anytime burger?

And besides,

I'm not a sole
practitioner like you.

I'm a lawyer.

I need to defend
my firm's clients.

Billable hours.

Wasn't it you
that just last week said

you wanted to work less,
not more?

What about the procreation plan?

Clock is ticking.

Tempus fugit, baby.

I love it when you talk dirty.

Ms. Walsh?

I'm mahalia robeson,

Walter byrd's grandmother.

Yeahi remember you
from the courtroom.

Well, I'm sorry
to bother you, Ms. Walsh,

but I need to talk to you.

It's either a retrial
or take the plea.

Walter's gonna take the plea.

I tried to talk him out of it,
but the boy won't listen.

How many years?

12.

He'll be 33 when he gets out.

Well, if he's innocent,
he shouldn't take the plea.

Walter couldn't kill anybody.

He talks the talk,

but Walter don't walk the walk.

He's got a dog just like yours.

Here he is with buddy.

Loves that dog more than
anything in the world.

Walter's lived with me
since he was six.

My daughter, lashaun,
took him out to California

when he was three, but...

Well, then she got into drugs
and disappeared.

The neighbors found Walter
eating out of their garbage.

He was sent to foster care,

anit took me another six months

to get him back.

That's horrible.

He smokes a lot of
dope, that boy,

and he doesn't know
where he's going,

but he's innocent,

and he almost lost that trial,

and if he loses another trial,

his life is ruined.

I'm a proud woman.

Don't make me beg.

Defend my boy.

You don't understand.

I've never done a murder trial.

I'm not that kind of lawyer.

I don't believe
you're the kind of person

to leave a bleeding man
on the side of the road,

or let an innocent man
spend the rest of his life

in jail.

People should help other people.

People should care.

It's not about caring.

It's about the law.

Sarah?

Where are you?

I'm here, I'm in the kitchen.

Whatcha doing?

Thinking about your mom?

I'm actually thinking
about mahalia.

This might sound strange,

but she reminds me of my mother.

You know, after my dad left,

my mom had to work two jobs
just to keep US going.

She'd come home at night,
make US dinner,

help my sister and I
with homework,

and she'd then go back
to the diner

and work the late shift.

She did whatever she could
to take of her family,

like mahalia.

Nothing else mattered

except for making sure
her kids had a shot.

Turned out well for me.

Walter's not so lucky.

Your mother would be
proud of you.

Would she?

I wish she was here to say that.

What if I take this case?

The murder case?

I think you should.

Really?

Yeah.

I think it's good for US

to remind ourselves

that the law isn't just
some abstract chess game,

rigged in favor
of those who can pay,

the lucky ones
that can actually afford

fancy law firms like
hannon Fitzgerald.

I watch you, you know.

When you're working
late at night,

I see thatook on your face.

All you see is fatigue.

Yeah?

Maybe it's something else.

Not that you'd cop to it.

Well, that firm you malign,

you know it pays
for half of this house.

Doesn't pay for half your soul.

Come on, ray.

Our firm has to up its
pro bono quotient anyway.

I want you to focus
on anytime burger.

I am focusing on anytime burger.

We've got months of discovery
ahead of US,

and I'll just do this
on the sidelines.

You multi-task.

A little law, a little golf,

a little schmoozing
with the governor,

and look what you made.

Well, do it fast.

I'm okay with you helping
the so-called disadvantaged

as long as it doesn't interfere

with our lucrative clients.

Okay, you got it.

Don burston has to stay on.

I can't do it by myself.

Thank you.

Thank you!

Hey, Don, this is Sarah Walsh.

I'm looking at
the Walter byrd files

that you sent over,

and the original police report
don't seem to be here.

Do you have them?

Also, I wanted to see
if you checked with rakesha

to see if her story
stayed consistent over time,

and also, where are
Walter's alibi witnesses?

Do you remember me?

I was a juror on your trial.

I'm also an attorney.

My name is Sarah Walsh.

Your grandmother wants me
to represent you.

She and I don't think
you should take a plea.

I told my grandma
this is pointless.

I made up my mind.

Guard!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Humor me for five minutes.

Your grandmother thinks
that you're innocent.

I didn't kill Jermaine.

All right, I'm going to
ask you a few questions.

It's not an interrogation.

You can be completely frank.

Honest.

What was your real relationship
with Jermaine?

He scared the crap out of me.

Jermaine was always mean,
ever since we were kids.

Rakesha's just trouble
in a tube top.

She just don't like me.

Used to call me names
when I walked by the house.

I should have never
gone over there.

Why did you?

'Cause Jermaine had
the best weed in town,

and me and mackety Mac
wanted some.

You go out for a toke,

and spend the rest
of your life in jail?

Mackety Mac is your friend?

Where is he?

Why are you asking me?

I ain't seen him.

I've been in here
for eight months.

Don't take a plea.

I can fight this.

Man...

At least I know
when I don't know nothing.

Okay, look,

I may not know anything
about what it's like to be you,

but I can help.

If you let me.

If you didn't do it,

don't plead.

I can't do 25 years in here.

You won't have to.

Trust me.

I won't let you down.

Well, no, no, no,

I'm looking at it right now.

Yeah...

Impossible.

I'm fine standing.

I gotta go.

All right.

How do you, function like this?

They say mess is the evidence
of a creative mind.

I know where everything is.

You may see chaos.

I see a pattern...
Known only to me.

You sure that you don't have
a police report

stuck somewhere under
some moldy moo goo gai pan?

As I said on the phone,

had I'd gotten it
from the district attorney,

you'd have it
in your hot little hand.

Excuse me.

Yeah.

We're on our way.

That's my private investigator.

Why didn't you hire
an investigator

for Walter before?

Quite frankly,
I didn't think I needed one.

The prosecution's case
was so weak.

You know, you really
don't have to do

all this investigating
personally.

We can handle it.

When I do things,
I like to do them right.

You know, the first time.

Well, let's just hope

you don't screw up
your pretty little record

on Walter's account.

This way.

Derrick white, Sarah Walsh.

She's the lawyer that's
going to be helping US.

- Hi.
- Hello.

I see the lady
likes to be clean.

Have you happened to look
for the other members

of the poker game
that Walter was at

when he was supposedly
executing Jermaine?

I like the phrasing.

"Have you happened to look?"

She speaks the queen's English.

Makes her feel
above the squalor,

like she's sanitizing her words.

He likes to speak to people
in the third person.

Makes him feel
above his own bull.

Okay.

Of the potential
poker witnesses,

Michael Johnson
is stationed in Germany.

Clevon Joyce is in jail.
That shreds his credibility.

And I think leroi's got a lead
on mackety Mac,

though I'm not sure
what we'll find there,

since I hear
Mac's been shooting up...

Heroin, cocaine,

anything he can
get his hands on.

What a fantastic witness.

You want nice, shiny mbas,

you got to practice
in palm beach.

Thank you.

For what?

For referring to me as "you".

All right, then.

Maybe you guys should
stay in the car.

Well, I don't think
this particular neighborhood

would benefit from my presence.

No, I'm coming.

I'm coming.

Can't stop a cannonball.

Don't take all day.

All right, peace, y'all.
Peace, peace, peace...

Whoa, what the hell
are you doing?

What the hell are you doing?

I'm just trying
to cut to the chase

and not waste time.

Look, there's etiquette here.

That's spider,
our local drug kingpin.

We'll get leroi killed,

and ourselves, too,
if we yank his chain,

and I'd like to live
to see lunch,

so why don't you just
watch and be cool.

Look, can you just
take your arm off me?

Better they think
you're my little snow-ho

than a cop.

Crap.

Yo, leroi...

Yeah?

What's up, man?

Derrick white.

I'm helping Walter byrd.

Are you crazy?

Get away from me, man.

You trying to get a bullet
put in my head?

Yo, man,

I could just hand you
a wad of cash right now

and spider will think
you're my bitch,

or you can tell me real quick
where mackety Mac is.

Man, I ain't seen him since,
like, last summer.

I heard Mac
was sucking the pipe big time.

My cousin nolene saw Mac
coming out of some crack house.

Which one?

Probably not the one you go to.

Come on, man, which one?

Lamont, crayber?

Come on, man, you want me
to help you out again?

I don't know, man.

North lawndale.

That's where nolene lives.

I think Mac's been staying
out there.

Cool, cool.

All right, check it out.

I'm going to yell at you
like you screwed me over.

Just go with it.

Where's my money, man!

Where's my money!

Okay, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Okay, honey, honey,
hey, get off of him.

Get off of him.

Give me my money, man!

I ain't playin'
with you no more!

Okay, hey, hey,
come on, come on.

Come on, now, let's go.

Damn, girl,

you got hand sanitizer
all over me.

So, what's the deal with spider?

Homicidal thug.

Word is

that spider's the one
that killed Jermaine

because Jermaine was muscling in

on his territory.

Are you kidding me?

Spider's the shooter?

Thanks for the update.

Can't prove it, of course,

unless spider's homies
turn state's evidence.

Yeah, and I'm sure
spider's posse

will be lining up
outside the d.A.'S office.

Speaking of that,

I have to get burston
back to his office.

I told you it was
going to be hard.

I mean, Jermaine's already dead.

It's not like he's going to
suddenly reincarnate,

so what's the point
of talking to the cops or US?

Jermaine's crew is
going to handle this

original gangster style,
you know?

Pop-pop.

But killing the real killer

is not going to help Walter.

Yeah...

A-ha!

Hold up.

Derrick here.

Seriously?

Okay.

What's the address?

All right, thanks, man.

I owe you.

One of my contacts

just saw mackety Mac.

Well, let's go.

Yeah.

This is it?

Crackhouse central.

You coming in?

I-I'll stay here.

Suit yourself.

Um

M-my boyfriend just came in?

Tall black guy.

Hey.

It might help if you had
a picture of Mac's mug.

That's him.

Yup.

He stinks...

Spider's guys
stopped by for a chat.

Seemed a little cozier
inside than outside.

Aw, hell.

Let's go.

Y'all are going to have to move.

This cat's heavy.

Hey, yo, Derrick,

I didn't know
you were on the pipe.

Me on by,
spider set you up real good.

You too, pretty lady.

Vanilla Booty.

You got good taste, brother.

You know,

we know that spider
killed Jermaine.

Hey!

Tellpider,

we ain't got no beef with him,
all right?

Just helping out Walter byrd.

We all good.

The ho down with that?

I'll make her down.

Cause spider got
better things to do

an deal with white lady lawyers

sniffing around.

Tell spider
to go screw himself...

Hey, get in the car.

And spider knows
just where to find

this pretty lady.

Where does she live at again?

North shore.
1324 foxhill.

Nice place.

Hey, look,

just tell spider
we cool, all right?

We got no beef.

All right? We cool.

This ain't no suicide mission.

Kill yourself on your own time.

Do you realize
they know where you live?

Spider is pathologically mean

cocky,

and just stupid enough
to kill you.

Look, I cannot
go around with you

unless you respect
the rules of the streets.

Now, they ain't codified
in some law book,

but they're real.

I-I'm sorry.

That was uncalled for.

Derrick's law is my law?

Don't forget it, snow-ho.

We better get Mac to detox

before he's past
his expiration date.

Come on, Mac,
just hang in there.

I will be there
soon as I can, Allen. Yeah.

Wait. What?

Okay, just leave the depositions
on my desk,

and tell Fitzgerald
that I'm on top of it.

Okay.

Hospital's happy
to stop Mac from dying,

but we need
a family member's signature

to actually check him
into rehab.

Well, then,

what are we going to do?

I just did not see that.

What's there to see?

Mackety Mac's pop

has got a beautiful
John hancock.

Mac's going to
thank US for this.

Nobody wants to die
because of red tape.

What now?

So you think you can
mess with spider?

You think
your pretty white lawyer

is gonna pin this murder on him?

Hey, Mac.

We've come to talk to you
about Walter byrd.

How is Walter?

I ain't seen him in a long time.

He still working at Pete's?

He's been in prison
for the last eight months.

Holy crap, what did he do?

The police have accused him
of killing Jermaine Anderson.

Walter?

Man, he sees Jermaine,

and he be whizzing
in his boxers.

Last time I saw Jermaine,
I was buying some weed.

I made Walter go in
just to see his hand shake.

Well, that's the day

they say he shot Jermaine.

Now, that's a crack dream.

I was with wter that whole day.

We went to a friend of leroi's
and played cards.

Would you be willing
to testify in court

at Walter's trial?

Sure.

I guess.

They ain't gonna make it look
like I killed Jermaine, right?

No, no, no,
this is about Walter.

Mac, it's group.
Let's go.

I gotta go.
Group therapy.

Walter's innocent.

I knew it.

I wouldn't have wasted
all this shoe leather

if I thought
he actually killed Jermaine.

Yeah, but how can you be
so sure?

I mean, I thought so,
but I don't...

I can vibe people.

Vibe people?

Yeah, you can talk all you want

in a court of law
about reasonable doubt,

but on the street,

you got to be able to decide
real quick

who's gonna knife you
in the alley,

and who's just trying
to scare you.

I think being a lawyer
has made my gut go haywire.

Nah, your gut's always your gut.

You're just better able
to rationalize.

Who did this to you?

Who you think?

Why you messing with spider?

Because we think
spider killed Jermaine.

You don't get it, do you?

Why you go getting
that crazy hustler

all pissed off?

I should have never
listened to you.

I'm a dead man.

We found Mac.

He was in pretty bad shape

but we got him into rehab,

and I think
he's going to be okay

by the time we go to trial.

Walter,

I'm going to have you put
in protective custody

so that spider can't get you.

I'm going to get you
out of here.

15 of the anytime burger
depositions are done.

Two of them will work for US,

but we'll probably have to
go back a bit further,

maybe two or three more years.

You got any guide dogs
inside the company?

Somebody to show where
the bodies are buried?

Yes, a ferociously
ugly little chatterbox

who loves
to trash-talk employees

who don't meet...

Her standards
of sexual propriety.

Finding Mac is good,

but I'm worried it's not enough.

Last time it was rakesha
that destroyed US.

I know she lost her brother
and I feel bad for the girl,

but I can't help but feeling

that she's got some bad blood
going towards Walter.

You know, something.

I just can't believe
it's an honest mistake.

Hey, I gotta go.

Finish that case, soon.

I need your full attention

on the clients
who pay our bills.

Did I miss her?

Perfect timing.

Looks like she's,
just headed home.

All right, well, let's see
if your fabled charm

can get her talking.

Hey, rakesha...

Yeah?

Hey.

We want to talk to you
about Walter byrd.

I know it must be really hard

to talk about what happened,

but we're just trying
to figure out

if the police had
anything to do with it.

Wh.

I'm confused.

Do you think the police
killed Jermaine?

No, no, no, um...

I just think that
the police are happy

to put some black guy in jail
and call it a day.

I don't think
they're too particular

about which black guy it is.

Was it the police

that first gave you
Walter's name?

Help you out when your memory
got a little fuzzy?

Look,

word on the street is

that spider killed Jermaine.

It was a turf war.

Is that what they say?

And you know Jermaine's homies

ain't gonna just sit back

and forget it.

They're gonna pay back
that murder.

I don't know
anything about that.

Walter byrd could spend

the rest of his life in prison

for a crime he didn't commit.

Does that seem fair to you?

Well, is it fair that two
of my brothers have been killed?

Is it fair that my grandma's
out there looking for work

now that Jermaine is gone?

She's 72.

Is it fair
that I was born piss poor?

Do you know
what that's like, lady?

I bet you don't.

I have one thing to say to you.

I saw Walter byrd
kill my brother.

That's what I saw.

You may not like it,

but those them facts.

Wow, that went well.

Let's hope Mac's a good witness.

Mac?

Are you in there?

You have visitors.

Go in.

Mac?

Mac?

Mac!

You open this door!

Now!

Excuse me.

Okay.

I've goto go get help.

I'm just so arrogant!

I shot my big mouth off

and now I don't know
if I can deliver.

You know, "don't worry, Walter.

I'll get you off."

I mean!

I should neverave been
so cavalier

with someone's life!

Sweetie, they're the ones

that asked you
to take on the case.

You're working like a maniac.

There's not much else
you can do.

This is Walter's life,

not some theory of copyright law

that a bunch of lawyers
are batting around.

I'm sorry,
I didn't realize you thought

protecting intellectual property
was such a waste of time.

No...

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean that.

I'm just... I'm overwhelmed,

and I can't believe
that mackety Mac is dead.

Baby, he was a junkie.

You shoot heroin every day,

it's not going to end well.

I know, I just...

I just thought that he could...
He could stay clean

and help Walter.

Now, I just...
I don't know what to do.

Our first preliminary hearings
are tomorrow.

Look,

I think you need
to give your brain a break.

Get some sleep.

Stop the whirring, you know?

Get up in the morning,

look at it again,

see if there's anything
you missed.

Frankly, I'd just do

what every other
defense attorney

seems to be doing these days.

Attack the system?

Exactly.

Look for
prosecutorial misconduct,

sloppy police work,

legal technicalities
if you have to.

Well, this is Chicago,

the nation's capital
of corruption,

or at least one of them.

Walter's innocent, right?

The truth is out there.

This is ridiculous, judge.

Ms. Walsh was a juror
on the last trial.

She cannot be Mr. Byrd's
defense lawyer in this one.

She needs to recuse herself

on ethical grounds.

And those grounds are?

Illinois ethics rule 3.6.

Ms. Walsh gave
an interview

by the sun-times
about the verdict.

Lawyers are barred

from publicizing information

that may prejudice a trial.

Your honor,

Ms. Walsh was not functioning
as a lawyer then.

She was simply a juror
at the first trial.

You do not remove your cloak
as an officer of the court

when you step into the jury box,
your honor.

Leave your briefs with me,
and I'll review them.

Well, I can't imagine
that gambit's going to work.

It's like legal gobbledygook,

d I told the damn reporter
I voted not guilty.

Since when is that
privileged information?

Well, they'll try anything,

but I'm confident we'll prevail,

but this dispute
will set US back

a couple of weeks.

The American justice system

moves along like
a pile of gelatinous goo.

Well, we could use the time
to devise a new strategy,

and I have to focus
on my paying job.

What's wrong?

French fry in trouble?

A trans-fat attack.

Walter's going to
have to be patient.

He doesn't seem to have
much of a choice, does he?

Poor Mac.

He was a bright kid.

Talked about being doctor
before he started juicing.

Well, his death
doesn't help Walter.

I don't know what to do next.

Man, those Andersons
are a bad bunch.

What do you lawyers call it?

A criminal enterprise,

that whole family.

You know, after
Jermaine got shot,

the police were over there
every day for weeks

looking for iden.

Bet you that's it.

What do you mean?

That little girl, rakesha,

she's been sent
to work the cops.

She helps them clear the case,

the less reason they have
to go poking around her family.

Well, it makes life easier.

You just throw the book
at anyone who fits the bill

and call it a day.

Something like that.

Derrick got any sources inside?

Derrick was military police,
in Iraq.

Well, that's not going to help.

Well...

I know someone, though...

Someone who may be able to help.

Did you tell him we were coming?

Of course I did.

This is so typical of him.

I call him,

and we come all the way out here

to his cabin, and he's not here.

Well, Vincent is reliable.

Once an s.O.B., always an s.O.B.

You know, he never paid
child support.

He never sent me
a birthday card.

He never even called me
when mom died.

It's like he didn't even care
about someone he was married to

for seven years.

Well, you can't expect
much from him.

I know, I know.

I don't.

He's just unfortunately
the only cop...

Or ex-cop...

At I know.

Sarah!

I didn't know you were coming.

Vincent, did you know

your daughter was going
to visit US today?

I forgot.

You've got to remember

to tell me these things.

Hi, dad.

Hi.

You two look well.

We haven't seen in you in what,

two years?

Life's agreeing with you?

Sarah...

You gonna give your dad
some grandkids?

We're working on it.

Dad, where are you going?

I've got to take
bear for a walk.

'S bn cooped up all day, so...

I'll come with you.

Come on, I'll
make US some coffee.

So, how you been?

So dad, I took on
this murder case.

I always thought
corporations were greedy.

I never knew they'd
started killing people.

Yeah...

No, they're just happy
to make 'em fat.

It's a pro bono case I took on,

a kid accused of murder,

in Austin-gresham.

That's a rough neighborhood.

Well, he's probably
guilty of something.

No, I really think
my client's innocent.

Yeah, what you don't know,
you don't know.

Dad, if the police records
were misplaced,

at would happen to them,

would they be destroyed?

Dad?

I heard you.

Now, why are you bothering

with some drug dealer

shooting another drug dealer?

I mean, that's the good news,

cleaning out the neighborhood.

My client is not a drug dealer.

You know that for a fact?

Look, dad,

let's just cut
the crap here, okay?

I came to you to ask you

about the inner workings
of the police.

Either help me or don't help me,

but don't jerk me around
and then bail.

All right, who's the cop?

Runyon.

Harry runyon.

Don't know him.

Are you sure?

No.

Go to hell.

Okay, wait.
Sarah, come on.

Sit down.

Come on, sit down.

Cops almost never
actually destroy anything.

All right?

"Obstruction of justice,"
"destroying evidence,"

all that legal crap,

but things get lost
all the time,

and they're usually close by.

Very close by.

You know, an old filing cabinet,

the bowels of thevidence room,

jammed into the wrong case file.

Anything easy.

Good to know the police
are doing their jobs.

Hey, there's a lot of
sewage out there, Sarah,

and cops, most of them
good honest men,

are doing the best they can

to clean it up
as fast as they can.

Now, you may like
this client of yours,

but I'll tell you what,

99% of them are animals,

and if he hasn't committed

this exact same crime,

then he's done something
just like it or worse.

That's not the point.

Rough justice just
isn't good enough.

Yeah, but it's better than
the wolves overrunning the city.

Thank you.

"Sarah, I hear
key evidence is missing

"from a couple of these cases.

Dad."

Vincent, you never fail
to amaze me.

My source sent an itemized list

of all the cases
that runyon's worked

in the last five years.

Apparently, he has a pattern

of, quote unquote,
"losing information

that might be helpful
to the defense."

Well, it's not unusual

to find a Chicago cop
that stinks,

but then finding the srce
of any odor

is just so damn tricky.

Wow, corporate law.

I guess there's, money in that.

I had a friend of mine

who worked in the archives
of the courthouse.

I had her up all night
xeroxing copies

of the court files
from all of runyon's cases.

Is that the only thing
you guys xeroxed?

Well, the rest wasn't g-rated.

Well, at least there was
some fun to be had.

Okay, I'm going to call in sick,

and we're going to spend
the next 24 hours

calling every
defense lawyer here

to see if any of their cases
went suspiciously south,

which I'm sure they did,

and then we're going to
get affidavits from them.

And then climb mt. Everest,

swim the English channel,

and bicycle backwards
down rush street.

Unicycle.

Unicycle backwards,

with your friend
from the courthouse

on your shoulders.

These documents

have a strange way
of disappearing...

Did you work on
the alamita Jones case?

I can't tell
if the police department

is a hotbed
of willful malfeasance

or just a well of stupidity.

Personally, I never
underestimate stupidity...

Okay, listen,

I'm going to have
my private investigator,

Derrick white, stop by tomorrow

with an affivit

summarizing what you just said

for you to sign...

So, you won't sign.

No, no, look,

thank you for your time.

Okay?

Okay? Okay,
thank you.

Yeah, I got the address...

Okay, thanks.

We're going to come

and have you sign
the affidavits tomorrow...

So, we have five attorneys

who agreed to sign affidavits
about our favorite sleazeball...

Great.

Three who refused to talk,

seven who are too lazy

to redo a case for a client

that's already in the joint,

and I mean, listen,

god knows how many
affidavits Don got

from the public
defender's office.

Right...

Damn.

What do they want?

I mean, the preliminary hearing
isn't until next month.

Hello.

Yeah, tell him I'll come see him

tomorrow morning.

I don't... I don't get it.

You don't have any complaints
about my work on anytime burger.

Your work is fine,

but I pay you to be excellent.

For 500 bucks an hour,

our clients deserve your best.

I mean, face it,
your heart's just noin it.

Hell, ray, did you hire
my head or my heart?

Heart is sometimes
the only difference

between victory and defeat.

We are lawyers,
not some football team.

Allen can take over
your murder trial,

and then you can focus
on anytime burger,

or not.

Louise is perfectly happy
to take over as first chair.

I bet she is.

Sarah, you have to choose

where to best to focus
your energies.

Yeah, but my choices
will have ramifications.

All choices have ramifications.

You know what,

I'm not going to let
an innocent man

wither and die in jail

for a crime
that he didn't commit.

That's just not going to happen.

I mean, maybe I'm an idealist,

but I still believe

that lawyers are supposed
to fight for justice,

not just be high-paid lackeys
for corporations

trying to give themselves
bigger raises

so they can take their dumps
in gold-plated toilets.

That's a mighty high horse
you're sitting on.

I just hope you don't
fall off it one day.

Okay, so let me go first,

but you'll back me up, right?

Locked and loaded.

Harry runyon?

Yeah?

My name's Sarah Walsh.

I'm the new attorney
for Walter byrd.

His second trial is next week.

You testified
in his first trial.

You tried to send him to jail
for the rest of his life?

I need the original
police interviews

from the night of the murder.

You'll have to talk
to the department about that.

Shall I also talk to them

about the case of alamita Jones?

Turns out the police
lost the statement

of her alibi witness

who then had the temerity

to got and get himself
shot to death.

I could also bring up the case
of Ronald soule.

You're full of crap, lady.

All right, well,
I have nine affidavits

from defense lawyers

who claim the police
either misplaced

or lost evidence

that could have conveniently

cleared their clients.

You know what these cases
have in common?

You, Harry runyon.

You're the investigating
officer.

What are you
going to do about it?

And then there's Carl beaumont.

All of his clients
are drug dealers,

five of whom
were sent off scot-free

because the police,

I.e. You,

screwed up the investigation.

So, are you working
for beaumont?

Does he pay for that nice
little boat on lake Michigan?

What if I am?

You listen to me.

You go back
to your nice little life

at hannon Fitzgerald,

and your nice little house
on the north shore.

And I'm telling you that
as a friend.

Or what?

You going to make me disappear?

You conniving little...

And I've been recording
this entire conversation,

you cocky little pig.

Hey!

Hey, hey, hey, dial it back.

Who the hell are you?

This is Derrick white.
He's a private investigator.

He has the whole thing on video.

No comment.

We just need for
the files to reappear.

Original police file.

With rakesha's
and Kevin's interviews

from the night of the murder.

Apparently, a mysterious package
showed up

at the d.A.'S office
yesterday morning.

Runyon found the post office.

This file's going to be helpful,

but it's no smoking gun.

By the time I'm done with this,

it'll be smoking so much
it'll have lung cancer.

Tell her.

Spider was killed last night.

No way.

Got mowed down

by another kid
in a black hoodie.

I told you Jermaine's crew

was going to
take care of their own.

Well, I got to say this...

Gangstas are way more efficient
than we are.

You okay?

You okay?

Spider got killed.

He was shot last week.

They don't know who did it.

My god.

There's more.

Mac o.D.Ed.

He's okay?

He's dead.

Damn.

We still have rakesha,

and she's a liar,

and I can prove that at trial.

Yeah?

Walter, we're going to
get you out of here.

I don't think anything's
going to save my sorry ass.

Ms. Walsh?

Um, thank you.

Thank you for all
the hard work you've done.

I screw up a lot,

but I never killed nobody.

I know you didn't, hon.

You ready?

As ready as I'll ever to be.

And don't go easy on rakesha.

You're going to have
a lot more leeway

than I had.

The juries are
much more forgiving

of nice lady lawyers.

I'll have to remember

to keep my brass balls hidden

until just the right moment.

Hey, Walter.

I'm glad to see the suit fits.

It looks nice.

Thank you.

Okay, in court,

no sleeping, no doodling,

no getting distracted.

You got to stay clear-eyed
for the jury.

You're a likable guy,
but they got to see that.

Okay.

Okay.

So there were 15 people
in the house,

and only one of them

identified my client
as the shooter,

and that was rakesha Anderson.

Is that correct?

I suppose so.

But the name of Walter byrd,

a man that she's known
her whole life,

only came to her
three weeks later,

when you showed her a lineup

and told her who to pick, right?

Objection.

Sustained.

Is it that you dot really care

who kills a drug dealer,

so you're satisfied

pulling in any guy
off the street

and fingering him for murder?

- Objection.
- Sustained.

So you never found the gun
that killed Jermaine Anderson.

No, ma'am.

And you never found

Walter byrd's fingerprints
at the crime scene?

No DNA evidence?

No fibers, no hairs?

No physical evidence

connecting my client
to the murder?

No, ma'am.

The prosecution calls
rakesha Anderson.

And there was poor Jermaine,

blood pouring from his head,

his life passing before my eyes.

Rakesha,

is the man who shot your brother
in the court today?

It was him!

I'll never forget his face.

It's tattooed on my brain.

Please let the record show

that the witness pointed
to the defendant,

Walter byrd.

Thank you.

Your witness.

Hello, rakesha.

You're, quite dramatic,

aren't you?

Did you practice that testimony

for prime emotional impact?

I just tell it how it is.

Do you remember being
interviewed by the police

on the night of the murder?

Could you be more clear, please?

Yes, yes, I do.

And would you say

that your memory
would have been better

on the night of the murder?

No.

The defense would like
to enter into evidence

exhibit 37,

the original interview
with rakesha Anderson,

conducted by detective runyon

at 7:53 P.M.

On the night of the murder.

Bailiff, do you mind
taking this to the witness?

Now, you testified

that the killer was
wearing a black sweatshirt.

That's right.

Could you read
paragraph a, on page 11?

"Anderson says

that the assailant was wearing
a black hoodie."

So?

Judge, may I approach
with exhibit 27,

Walter byrd's black sweatshirt.

Does this look like
a black hoodie?

It'slack, isn't it?

Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, except for
this humongous yellow skull,

and this crazy design.

You somehow failed
to mention that

in your police statement.

Can you please you read
paragraph b, on page 11?

"Anderson says

that the assailant
was wearing a ski mask."

So, if the killer was wearing
a ski-mask,

then how could you tell
what his face looked like?

I mean, that it was Walter byrd,

for instance?

I just could.

Do you have X-ray vision?

I know what I know.

Now, you sat
on the witness stand

and described
the assailant's gun.

Stenographer, can you read back
that testimony?

"It was steel,

with a black nose
and a silver butt."

I'm sorry, what's so funny?

Nothing.

"Black nose, silver butt."

Can you please read
the description of the gun

that you gave to the police

the night of the murder?

It's paragraph e, page 12.

I can't find it.

Judge, may ipproach?

There.

"Anderson describes the gun

"as being all black.

Black nose, black butt."

How strange.

Your memory
is completely different

eight months later.

Two hours

after you witnessed
Jermaine's murder,

you described the killer
as a small guy,

and skinny.

Could you please read
your statement

on page 13, paragraph f?

"Anderson describes the killer

"as a short
African-American man,

"height approximately 5'5",

weight, 110 pounds."

Could you please stand up,
Walter byrd?

Now, look at Walter.

Did you know
that he is six feet tall

and weighs 180 pounds?

Okay, so?

Do you agree

that your description
of the killer

on the night of the murder

matches nothing
about Walter byrd?

No, I don't agree at all.

Isn't it true

that you had no idea
who shot Jermaine

until the police brought you
to a lineup

three weeks after the murder?

I knew the dude's face.

I was just spacing on his name

until I saw Walter
at the police station.

Well, that's convenient.

Did detective runyon
and his buddies

help you out?

Did they give you
a little wink-wink

when you picked out Walter?

- Objection!
- Overruled.

No one tell'd me nothing.

I saw Walter.

I said, "him."

Didn't you pick out Walter

because he was familiar to you,

because he had bought pot
from Jermaine

on a regular basis,

including the day of the murder?

Or because Jermaine
had beaten him to a pulp

over a dice game?

I goeyes, lady.

I can see.

The point is not
that you can see people.

It's whether or not
you can recognize them.

Your story on the stand today

is completely different

than the one
that you gave the cops

only hours after you witnessed
Jermaine's murder.

Eight months ago,

the killer was small
and wearing a mask,

and you couldn't see his face.

Today, he's six feet tall,

and looks exactly like
Walter byrd,

so why do you keep changing
your story, rakesha?

My story's not changing.

It was Walter then,
and it's Walter now.

Your witness.

Miss Anderson,

the killing of your brother,

it happened really quickly,
didn't it?

Three blinks of an eye,

and Jermaine was gone.

So basically
you're just guessing

at how tall and heavy
the killer was?

I'm doing the best I can.

Yes, you are.

So let's have another guess.

How tall would you say
Ms. Walsh is?

She ain't that big.

I'd say she's about, what, 5'6".

Ms. Walsh, how tall are you?

I'm 5'6".

It seems rakesha has
perfect judgement of height

when she wants to.

Ms. Walsh,

please keep your
comments to yourself.

Nothing further.

Redirect, your honor?

Rakesha, do you know
what perjury is?

Yeah, a fancy word
for something.

Perjury is lying,

lying on the stand.

Now, either your memory
is so staggeringly terrible,

or you are lying on purpose.

Now, isn't it true
that you were just trying

to curry favor with the police

so that they don't interfere

with your family's
drug-dealing business?

Or that they don't
go after your brothers

for the payback murder

of the drug lord, spider,
a.K.A. Nathaniel carther,

who is the person
that everybody knows

really killed Jermaine?

I ain't!

You know what, lady,
you talking crap!

Bull crap!

You an ign'ant stuck-up bitch

who thinks she knows everything!

You know nothin'!

Nothin' about nothin'!

Objection, your honor, please.

Miss Anderson,
do not Sully the court

with bad language.

Ms. Walsh,
do not bring up facts

that are not in evidence.

Doesn't mean they're not true.

Ms. Walsh.

Sorry, your honor.

The point is not
if rakesha Anderson

misremembered a few details.

Without a doubt,

witnessing the murder
of her brother

has been the most
traumatic event

in this young girl's life.

The point is

rakesha Anderson not once, ever,

wavered from recognizing
that man,

Walter byrd,

as the man
who murdered her brother...

His face seared into her mind.

She stood her ground,

even when pummeled
by Ms. Walsh,

a lawyer with
superior education,

willing to tear apart

a teenage girl

to win a case.

Walter byrd murdered
Jermaine Anderson.

You know it, I know it.

You must make him pay
for his crime.

You must find him guilty.

Ms. Walsh,
you may proceed

with your closing statement.

Thank you, your honor.

I am fighting to save
an innocent man's life.

This is my first criminal trial.

I come from the corporate world

where my boss always says
that nobody is indispensable,

which I believe to be true,

but just because
we're all replaceable

that doesn't make any of US
disposable,

and unfortunately,

that's the way that Walter byrd
has been treated.

We all seem to agree

that some African-American male
killed Jermaine Anderson

in what appears to be
a drug slaying,

but the problem is

that the police weren't
particularly picky

about which black male
they arrested.

It didn't matter

that Walter didn't fit
the description

that the witnesses gave
on the night of the murder,

'cause Walter had
no prospects anyway.

It didn't matter that he sat
in jail for eight months

waiting for a trial.

Well, I'm here to tell you

th Walter byrd's life
does matter,

to his grandma,

mahalia,

and to his friends,
and to Walter himself.

Now, the police have

no physical evidence

that Walter byrd
killed Jermaine Anderson,

and no motive.

The only person who thinks

that Walter byrd
killed Jermaine Anderson

is rakesha Anderson,

and quite frankly,

she's changed her story
a couple times.

All I know is

that whatever came out
of rakesha Anderson's mouth

wasn't true.

Ladies and gentlemen
of the jury,

I ask you to acquit Walter byrd

of this heinous crime,

because he deserves
his life back,

not because he's special,

but because his life
belongs to him,

and nobody is disposable.

Nobody.

Thank you.

Maybe I should have cut out
the whole "heinous crime" bit.

It was a little pretentious.

Nothing wrong with a little
Perry Mason flourish.

Sarah Walsh.

Yes?

Really?

Okay, thank you.

We'll be right there.

The verdict's back.

That was fast.

It's only been a half an hour.

Is that a good thing
or a bad thing?

Well, if it's not guilty,
it's a good thing.

If it's guilty, it's bad.

All rise.

Be seated, please.

Will the defendant please rise?

In the case of the people

versus Walter byrd,

how do you find the defendant?

We, the jury,
find the defendant...

Not guilty.

Congratulations.

First time, too.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

You got a second chance, Walter.

Now, make something
of your life.

I will.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much...

Baby, you're coming home.

Walter's not the only one
getting a second chance,

you know.

What do you mean?

I quit my job.

You're kidding.

I'm not,

and I know I should have
told you first,

but it just sort of...

Popped out of my mouth
at the end of the day.

I...

This case changed me.

Just... it made me believe

that I can help people
who actually really need it.

How did Fitzgerald take it?

He kind of
hyperventilated with fury.

Now we're really celebrating.

Thank you.

Well, well, well.

Look at you, Ms. Walsh,
lookin' fine.

Aw...

That's one mighty special woman
you got there.

You take good care of her.

Yes, ma'am.

And now...

A special song
for a special woman,

Ms. Sarah Walsh,

who's got more heart
and more swagger

than anybody I know.

Yeah!

Hit it.

For you, baby.

Thank you, Derrick.

May I have this dance?

Want me to show you
my swagger? Okay.

Come on.